USM - Universiti Sains Malaysia

An applied programme in crop protection, plant pathology involves the study and understanding of the etiology, epidemiology and management of plant diseases with the aim of increasing agricultural production and limiting losses caused by pathogens and other predisposing factors. In addition to the traditional research on the various diseases of vegetable, ornamental, tree and fruit crops, other research disciplines include the study and use of microbial pathogens as bioherbicides and role of mycorrhizae in agricultural systems. The programme comprised of several fields including crop protection, fungal pathogens, soil science, mycorrhiza, biofertilizer, bioherbicide, entomology and plant pest management. Conventional and recent biological techniques, such as molecular tools, are adopted in research activities. Some areas of research are Fusariumdiseases on agricultural crops in Malaysia, the role of mycorrhiza in agricultural systems, composting and development of biofertilizer and bioenhancer by rhizobacteria.